About

[Updates at end!]

Overview

GRAVITAZ.
A high-speed game of combat racing. Pilots fly jet-propelled hover
vehicles (known as “Spinners”), hoping for fame and glory on the
bleeding-edge, rough-and-tumble tracks of the world’s first antigrav
racing league.

The Story

The
world of GRAVITAZ is similar to ours, but a few years ahead on the
technology curve. Antigravity racers are new, ranging from scratchbuilt
garage projects to small, sponsored team builds. The sport itself is
in its formative stages; large racing conglomerates and multinational
leagues do not yet exist. Despite a weak global economy, stunning
advances in antigravity technology has fans lining up to see even short
glimpses of trial runs and vehicle prototypes. As
Spinners scream down the corridors of temporary urban raceways, it's
clear: antigrav racing will be the sport of the new millennium.

The Look

GRAVITAZ
aims for a grittier, “real world” feel that evokes a motorsport in its
early days. While decidedly futuristic, Spinner vehicles sport dust
and scratches, bad welds, and even bits of duct tape. Tracks show
obvious gouges and scrapes - after all, grav-fields and rollers don’t
always do their jobs! The overall look blends the sleekness of
futuristic concept cars with the oil and heat of an F1 Grand Prix race.

The Vehicles

With
antigrav racing in its infancy, technology and design have not
coalesced around any unified standard. Spinner form and function are
diverse and experimental, sporting wildly different configurations. Teams compete for sponsorship money wherever they can, and the
resulting vehicles reflect their widely different emphases.

One Spinner may have the ramshackle assembly of a scrappy, low-budget dune-racer...

Some
Spinners may use aerospace components from high end jets; other teams
may incorporate pieces from prior generations of wheeled racing
technology. Anything and everything that could grant a performance edge
may find its way onto a Spinner.

The Tracks

In
the world of GRAVITAZ, the big money (and even the necessary tech) to
build permanent, dedicated racing hovertracks does not exist. Much
as in F1 racing, racetracks are temporary structures, built to be
dismantled after use. Raceways are defined by cordoning off city
streets; scaffolds create vertical tracks that crawl up the sides of
skyscrapers. The tracks are assembled with only two goals in mind: to
create novel racing routes, and to create plenty of seats for paying
fans.

The
music for GRAVITAZ follows suit: adrenaline-pumping, high
beats-per-minute cybergrowl, the kind that gets your accelerator foot
pounding a rhythm on the floor. The soundtrack features heavy use of
analog instrumentation and highlights clear punk influences. You might
even catch some vocals here and there.

Look forward to some crunchy, high energy tunes.

Inspirations

We’ll
be honest: trying to describe GRAVITAZ without mentioning WipEout would
be difficult. Our love and respect for that franchise is no big
secret. There’s no question that WipEout is a helpful reference point
when describing GRAVITAZ; we wouldn't try to deny it.

However:
as much as we might enjoy all manner of other racing games, GRAVITAZ
stands apart. Our team aims fill a void in the genre on PC/Mac/Linux,
and to break new ground in the “combat racing” genre across all
platforms.

GRAVITAZ hovers menacingly all on its own.

The Tech

GRAVITAZ
utilizes an upgraded version of the ORKID mediaEngine. It fully
supports PC, Macintosh, Linux, and current-gen consoles. At this time, a
PC/Mac/Linux release is planned, via Steam, Desura, and/or other
digital distribution avenues. The game may be released on other
platforms as well, depending on overall funding level.

A Card Game, Too?

Anyone
pledging $30 or above also receives GRAVITAZ: The Card Game. It’s a
side project Dennis has been working on for a while; his goal is to
create a fast tabletop card game that can duplicate the fun of a race.
This is not Milles Bornes, mind - we’re talking a high-energy card game of racing and combat aimed at 2-5 players.

None
of the money raised will go to its development - the card game is
already underway. It’s purely a fun after-hours project that happens to
perfectly fit the GRAVITAZ vibe.

Where Will The Money Go?

Though our tech is basically finished, a game isn’t about an engine; it’s about content.

At
the moment, we have exactly one artist/designer to create that content.
His name is Dennis: he’s a mammal, he enjoys receiving paychecks, and
he seems to have some strong and curious addiction to carbon-based food.
Up
to our funding goal, all money we get will be thrown directly to Dennis
- so that he can stay alive long enough to finish the game.

We
estimate that it’ll take him about a year to design and implement all
the Spinners and racetracks, and tweak and balance the gameplay. The
funding goal gets him through that, and to release.

If We Exceed Our Funding Goal...

If,
thanks to fans like you, we exceed our funding goal - which would be
fantastic, by the way - we’ve got some other things in mind.

First:
We’ll have the budget for even more, and better, audio. There are a
number of people volunteering their time on this. If we can give them
even more time to compose EVEN MORE crunchy music... that would be
pretty swank.

Second: We can create more content. Paying more humans to help Dennis with
vehicle construction and track design would substantially increase the
amount of cool stuff we can cram into the final game.

Third: If we exceed our goal by enough, it will enable us to realize our big pie-in-the-sky goal... GRAVITAZ on iPad/iPhone!
Our engine still needs additional work to be fully functional on iOS,
and we would have to nail down solid control options, but... imagine the
possibilities. Sitting there, with your touch device of choice
(possibly in a bathroom, but let’s not imagine that part),
rocketing along on a hovertrack at the speed of sound... thumping music
blaring from the speakers... swiping your fingers on smooth glass to
glide around curves. It’s a beautiful thought, and one that we’d like to
make a reality.

Fourth: If we somehow blow way, way, way past
the funding goal, a console release is in the realm of possibility. Our
engine already runs on XBox 360, and we can tweak the tech for optimal
PS3 performance. It could happen. Any publishing partners who’d
like to chat are welcome to contact us: business@glassbottomgames.com. We’d love to hear from you.

In Closing

Whether
you choose to throw in a pledge or not, we appreciate the time you
spent just reading our Kickstarter. If you want to see this succeed,
spread the word - Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Digg, anywhere you hang
out. Heck, even call your grandma and see if she digs the idea of
antigrav racing on her phone.

It’s
through people just like you that we’ll reach our funding goal, and
without fans like you, all the money in the world wouldn’t help us a
bit. So, from all of us here on the GRAVITAZ team and at Glass Bottom
Games - thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

Now let’s make GRAVITAZ a reality!

Update #1: 24 Hour Update

Gravitaz's Kick page is one day old and I'm already kinda blown away
by the response - at the current rate *fingers crossed*, we'll double our goal. LET'S KEEP IT UP - SPREAD THE WORD!!
I am deeply grateful to see my friends backing our project, and
especially delighted to see Backers coming in from all over the
interwebs, so keep talking about it!

New videos showing the current state of the game (it's already gotten better - see pic below).

Progress reports towards a playable demo, as well as multi-platform support.

Screens and vids of new assets as they are made.

T-shirt designs.

Details on the Gravitaz Card Game.

...and much more.

Cheers!

-Dennis and the Gravitaz Team

Greetings!

We sent out a press release today:

4/16/2012:
GRAVITAZ blew the doors off its Kickstarter, and we’ve already hit 14% -
fantastic! To celebrate, we’re unveiling some new information. Weapon
details, track design theories... maybe even some new swag for
supporters.

We
had a few prototype vinyl bumper stickers made up, and they look pretty
great. What better way to celebrate a racing game than by slapping it
onto the back end of your car?

We’ve
also answered some questions from our fans, a sample of which is
available below. Most of these have come from the SomethingAwful.com
forums, where we’re fielding any and all questions:

Question: “What would your response be to naysayers who'd say this is just another Wipeout ripoff?” - from ‘Urdnot Fire'

Answer: There are two areas in which we’re really focusing our differentiation: weapons, and track design.

Weapons
in racing games have always been a bit of a mixed bag in terms of
effectiveness. A missile fires out, hits a car -- yay -- and then your
opponent stops dead in his tracks, you can't swerve in time, and all
you've done is knock yourself back. Not fun. So, skilled players just
treat the weapons as recharges and instantly absorb them; mid- to
high-level play might as well not have weapons at all.

We believe that weapons in a racing game ought to affect racing.
Rather than a missile that stops opponents dead in front of you, how
about a weapon that shoves them out of the way? One that slings you
ahead of people? A power-up that lets you bull through a crowd, knocking
everyone back without hurting your standing? Weapons should be
strategic, with a real sense of risk and reward. We're steering well
clear of anything like Mario Kart’s
infamous Blue Shell, or heavy “rubberbanding” physics, but... there's a
lot that could be done to make weapons more relevant to the genre.

Track
design is another element that's gotten a bit weird. If you look back
at Wipeout XL, or Hi-Octane, or any of the earlier racers, you'll see
wider tracks. There's plenty of space, plenty of lines to take, and as a
result, they were fun for just about anyone. Great players nailed the
perfect route, novice players swung a bit wide, and you could dart
around opponents and get a true sense of jockeying for position. Fast
forward to current day: track widths have been cut nearly in half (by
making the cars twice as big visually, amongst other tricks), and the
experience has been carved down to just high-end players optimizing
lines in tight alleys.

We're
going to widen the tracks back out, and work on giving players a sense
of choice and risk in the paths they choose. We're also looking at
adding shortcuts back to the genre: tactically advantageous side paths
that you may or may not want to run depending on your skill level.
"Well, I could try and stick that thin path up there, but man, if I
fall..." or "Ok, those crunchers just went up, I can make it!"

-----

P.S.: More details regarding the vinyl stickers as a Backer reward in the next update.

P.P.S.: As of this morning, GRAVITAZ is now a Kickstarter Staff Pick ...and we'd just like to say THANK YOU!!

Watch this space for more updates soon!

-----

Update #2: Day 6: GRAVITAZ launches into the race! We’re already 14% of the way to the finish line.

From the press release sent out minutes ago:

Logitech Sponsors New Racing Game by Glass Bottom Games

Bestselling Wireless Gamepads Now Available to GRAVITAZ Kickstarter Backers

DENVER,
CO (April 24, 2012) — Glass Bottom Games LLC, an independent developer
of video games for PC and mobile devices, today announced that the
company has engaged Logitech, a world leader in computer accessories, to
provide fans with the most fulfilling entertainment experience
possible.

As part of the company's Kickstarter campaign for its
futuristic combat-racing game, GRAVITAZ, a limited number of pledges
will include a complimentary Logitech F710 Wireless Gamepad.

Supplies are limited to the first 20 backers at the new $65 tier.

In
GRAVITAZ, players fly jet-propelled hover vehicles for fame and glory
on the rough-and-tumble courses of the world's first antigravity racing
league. Players compete with computer and ghost opponents against time
on delicate tracks scaffolded over the faces of skyscrapers and down
through city streets with a diverse pool of vehicles, from scratch-built
garage projects to high-end sponsored racers.

With the Logitech
F710 Wireless Gamepad in competent hands, midair collisions and detours
through office buildings will be kept to a minimum.
“Our latest game, GRAVITAZ, breaks new ground in the combat-racing
genre, but games like this just don’t feel right without full analog
controls,” says Megan Fox, cofounder of Glass Bottom Games. “With the
Logitech F710 Wireless Gamepad, I believe players will experience the
game as we intended.”

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $40 or more
About $40

You will receive: 1) a downloadable copy of GRAVITAZ upon release. 2) A signed copy of Gravitaz: The Card Game. 3) The poster of our key visual concept art. 4) The t-shirt featuring one of our race team designs. 5) The aforementioned “Special Thanks” credit.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $100 or more
About $100

You will receive: 1) a downloadable copy of GRAVITAZ upon release. 2) A physical model of an in-game Spinner vehicle. 3) A signed copy of Gravitaz: The Card Game. 4) The poster of our key visual concept art. 5) The t-shirt featuring one of our race team designs. 6) The aforementioned “Special Thanks” credit.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $150 or more
About $150

You will receive: 1) A signed, limited edition physical boxed copy of GRAVITAZ. 2) A signed copy of Gravitaz: The Card Game. 3) A physical model of an in-game Spinner vehicle. 4) The poster of our key visual concept art. 5) The t-shirt featuring one of our race team designs. 6) The aforementioned “Special Thanks” credit.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $250 or more
About $250

You will receive: All previous reward items (limited edition physical GRAVITAZ box, downloadable copy of GRAVITAZ, the GRAVITAZ card game, the physical Spinner model, the t-shirt, and the poster), plus an invite to the GRAVITAZ launch party (which will be held in Denver, CO). In addition, your name will appear under a “Super Special Thanks” section in the credits. Finally, your likeness will be immortalized as a fan on the sidelines of an in-game hovertrack. (Note: you must provide your own transportation to the launch party.)

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

All previous reward items (limited edition physical GRAVITAZ box, downloadable copy of GRAVITAZ, the GRAVITAZ card game, the physical Spinner model, the t-shirt, the poster, and the launch party invite), plus your name (or a name of your choosing) will become one of the secondary sponsorship companies in the game. Also, your name will appear under a “Super Dooper Special Thanks” section in the credits. (Note: you must provide your own transportation to the launch party.)

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

All previous reward items (limited edition physical GRAVITAZ box, downloadable copy of GRAVITAZ, the GRAVITAZ card game, the physical Spinner model, the t-shirt, the poster, the launch party invite, and a listing in the Sooper Dooper Special Thanks section of the credits) - plus a great big hug from one or more of the development team. In the event that you or the development team smells funny that day, a cordial pat on the shoulder or handshake can be substituted. If you so choose, your name will also appear in the credits under the title “Hug Technician.” (Note: you must provide your own transportation to the launch party and/or hug site.)